When did regs get tighter re insulation between flats?

[Hank]

Does anyone happen to remember what year it was in the 1990s when the building regs got tighter regarding sound-proofing and fire-proofing between flats?

Thanks,

Hank

[Hank]

PS. I'm thinking of changes that ocurred in the first half of the

1990s. Can't recall the year...

[richardpsullivan]

The Building Regulations 1991 came into operation on the 1st June 1992 replacing the Building Regulations 1985. Approved Document Part E (Resistance to the passage of sound) was one of the series of Approved Documents.

See:

[Hank]

Thank you. That's good because I think I completed the work by end of

1991, so hopefully BCO won't press for my complying with the 1991 regs. Trouble is, I don't have any documentation for the work, so cannot prove a thing. I wonder if they'll take my word for it... Anyone know about this kind of thing?

Hank

[Hugo Nebula]

On Tue, 27 Feb 2007 12:06:39 +0000, a particular chimpanzee, Hank randomly hit the keyboard and produced:

Fire resistance (a.k.a. Compartmentation) hasn't changed significantly for many years.

Some measure of sound resistance has been required for new buildings since at least 1985 (and IIRC before that). It was first required in a change of use of a building to a dwelling in June 1992. It would not apply to any application received before this date, which could then take up to three years to commence. Once work had commenced, there is no limit on the time taken to complete the work.

In theory, an application could have been made in 1991 for a conversion of a house into flats, started two & a half years later, stopped halfway through, resume tomorrow and not be completed until next year, and there would be no legal requirement for sound resistance between the flats.

From what I understand, before 1992, it may have been a condition of Planning Permission, but maybe not everywhere and maybe not too well enforced. Improvements in standards for new dwellings were introduced at the same time.